Soccer: Tough challenge awaits U21-ers against Italy

Israel, which reached the last European Championships with a stunning playoff victory over France two years ago, spent Yom Kippur in Ancona.

By ALLON SINAI
assulin 224.88 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
assulin 224.88
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
Israel Under-21 national team coach Moti Ivanir believes his side has a decent chance of claiming a positive result against Italy in the first leg of the European Championships playoff at Ancona on Saturday. "Our mission isn't easy, but it is most definitely possible," said Ivanir, who is hoping his side can book its second straight European Championship berth in the return leg at Bloomfield Stadium on Wednesday. "We have a good chance. Italy may have two or three players of a very high level but, as a team, it is no better than Israel. We're entering the tie with a very good chance of achieving our goal." Israel, which reached the last European Championships with a stunning playoff victory over France two years ago, spent Yom Kippur in Ancona, and Ivanir was hopeful that the players, who left for Italy on Monday, will benefit from spending so much time together. "I feel that the longer we spend together the more focused we will be. " think that flying out to Italy so early will help us prepare better for the match and spending Yom Kippur together will also help unite the team and that can only be good for us," Ivanir said. Italy, which lost 3-2 to Belgium in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics, is a five-time European U21 champion and advanced unbeaten through Group 1, winning seven and drawing three of its 10 qualifiers. The side is guided by former Italian international Pierluigi Casiraghi, who has several Serie A stars at his disposal. Juventus midfielder Sebastian Giovinco and his teammates Paolo De Ceglie and Claudio Marchisio will undoubtedly feature prominently in Ivanir's pre-match talk. Inter Milan star Mario Baloteli, who scored on his U21 debut against Greece last month, another player to watch out for. Torino FC midfielder Ignazio Abate and S.S. Lazio full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri are back from injuries, but Villarreal CF striker Giuseppe Rossi won't be playing after receiving a call-up to Italy's senior squad. "We also have some players that would be playing in AC Milan, Inter and Juventus, had they been born in Italy," said Ivanir, who will be hoping for another superb display by Barcelona's gifted forward Gai Assulin. "Obviously Italy has some players who will be very big stars in the future, but as a team they're not that much better than us." Captain Lior Jan will anchor the defense once more and was in a confident mood ahead of the match. "We believe in ourselves and I think we can win on the road," Jan said. "We will try and record a good result which will hopefully help us to clinch the tie at Bloomfield."